Do we have choice in childbirth? When is a choice not really a choice? How do obstetricians and midwives control women's choices by the way they explain things? How can we help to preserve choice and make sure women are properly informed?

Articles in this issue include:

Baby's Choice, by Jan Tritten. What would a baby choose for her birth? Editor-in-Chief Jan Tritten encourages us to think about what a baby might choose for birth and respect the baby, as well as the mother.

VBAC and Choice: Many Questions and a Few Answers, by Nancy Wainer.
When is a "choice" truly a choice and when is it not? Read about the affect on women of cesareans and VBACs and how they perceive the choices they may have made.

A Father's Birth Story of Breech Twins: Tiernan Shae and Caulla Anora Mae, by Jeffrey Jelmeland.
A father shares his exciting story of homebirthed twins.

Choices, by Elaine Wakeland.
Learn about what is being done and what you can do to preserve choices in birth.

The "Rule of Ten" Versus Women's Primal Wisdom, by Lydi Owen.
Author Lydi Owen questions a rule of labor that forbids pushing until a woman is at 10 cm dilation, sharing her experiences that contradict this rule.

Moving into Feeling: The Evolution of Spiritual Midwifery, by Sarah Nuxoll.
Good midwives know that assisting a birth is not just about using the mind, but also requires intuition and feelings. Sarah Nuxoll shares her experience on this awakening.

Choice in Cesarean, by Lorna Davies.
A reprint from MIDIRS Midwifery Digest discusses how choice in birth is evolving and questions whether it is in the right direction.

Two Homebirths, 14 Minutes Apart, by Gloria Lemay.
Midwifery sometimes requires the balancing of choices. In this story, the midwife must decide which of her clients needs her more, while ensuring that the other ones' needs are met.

What Would an Evidence-based Statement on Homebirths from ACOG Say? by Judy Slome Cohain.
ACOG recently put out a press release against homebirth. Frequent contributor Judy Slome Cohain responds with what they should have said, and follows up with responses from 15 midwives to the original statement.

Mother and Baby Baboons, by Jan Tritten.
Jan took a recent trip to South Africa to scout out a potential Midwifery Today conference. She shares in photos and essay some of her experiences with a marauding mother and baby baboon she encountered there.

An Unexpected Natural Birth, by Peg Browning.
Birth is such a powerful force that it can overcome even serious physical conditions in some cases. This is the story of a woman with quadriplegia and her three wonderful births.

The Light in the Grey Area: A Wild Woman's View of Caesarean Surgery, by Lara Stockbridge.
Cesarean surgery is at times a saving grace. This turns out to be the case--and a learning experience--for a midwife in the UK.

Homebirth after Cesarean: The Myth and the Reality, by Amy V. Haas.
No studies are available on homebirth after cesarean (HBAC). Is it as safe as inhospital VBAC? What elements make it risky? Amy Haas takes on the difficult task of wading applying the available studies on VBAC to the domain of homebirth to give a general idea on its safety.

Negotiating with the Insurer for Fair Payment, by Linda Lieberman.
Savvy homebirth midwives will be happy to see this article, full of tips on negotiating fair payment and getting the recognition they deserve as birth providers.

Circle of Health International: Bringing Together Israeli and Palestinian Midwives, by Sera Bonds and Matt Bieber.
An overview of the work COHI is doing in Israel and Palestine.

Birth Choices in Venezuela, by Fernando Molina.
One of the "good guys," Fernando Molina enlightens us on the situation regarding birth choices in Venezuela, in both Spanish and English.